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Zendesk vs 3CX (2024 Comparison)

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Author

Martin Lunendonk

Last Update

Nov 17, 2024

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Excellent Value For Price
4.3

0

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Zendesk

Zendesk offers a comprehensive customer service platform with robust ticketing and integration capabilities. Its excellent customer support and wide range of features make it a top choice for businesses seeking to enhance their support operations.

  • Comprehensive ticketing system
  • Excellent customer support
  • Wide range of integrations
  • Higher cost for small businesses
  • Complex setup for beginners

Free plan?

Yes

Starting price

$19 per month
Good Value For Price
4.1

0

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3CX

3CX provides a cost-effective communication platform with robust call routing features. Its scalability and focus on enhancing communication infrastructure make it an ideal choice for businesses looking to improve their call center operations.

  • Robust call routing features
  • Cost-effective solution
  • Scalable communication platform
  • Limited ticketing capabilities
  • Focus on communication tools

Free plan?

Yes

Starting price

€295 per year

What is Zendesk?

Zendesk is a comprehensive customer service platform that streamlines communication between businesses and their customers. It offers a suite of tools for ticketing, live chat, and knowledge base management, making it easier for support teams to manage inquiries efficiently. With its intuitive interface and robust analytics, Zendesk helps businesses improve customer satisfaction and streamline operations. Whether you're a small business or a large enterprise, Zendesk's scalable solutions can adapt to your needs, ensuring seamless customer interactions and enhanced support experiences.

What is 3CX?

3CX is a versatile call center software that enhances communication for businesses by providing a unified platform for voice, video, and chat. It simplifies customer interactions with features like call routing, IVR, and CRM integration, ensuring efficient handling of customer inquiries. 3CX is particularly beneficial for businesses looking to improve their customer service operations, offering flexibility and scalability to meet growing demands. Its user-friendly interface and cost-effective solutions make it an ideal choice for businesses aiming to enhance their communication infrastructure.

Pros and Cons of Zendesk vs 3CX

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Pros & Cons of Zendesk

Comprehensive ticketing system
  • Zendesk offers a robust ticketing system that streamlines customer inquiries, allowing support teams to efficiently manage and resolve tickets. This feature enhances customer satisfaction and improves support operations.
Excellent customer support
  • Zendesk is renowned for its top-notch customer support, providing various channels for assistance, including live chat and email. This ensures businesses receive the help they need promptly.
Wide range of integrations
  • Zendesk offers extensive integration options with popular business tools, allowing for seamless connectivity and enhanced functionality. This makes it easier for businesses to integrate their existing systems.
Higher cost for small businesses
  • Zendesk's pricing can be a barrier for small businesses, as its comprehensive feature set comes at a higher cost. This may not be feasible for businesses with limited budgets.
Complex setup for beginners
  • The initial setup of Zendesk can be complex for beginners, requiring time and effort to configure the platform to meet specific business needs. This may be challenging for those new to customer service software.
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Pros & Cons of 3CX

Robust call routing features
  • 3CX excels in call routing, offering advanced features that ensure calls are directed to the right agents. This is particularly beneficial for businesses with high call volumes.
Cost-effective solution
  • 3CX provides a cost-effective solution for businesses looking to enhance their communication infrastructure. Its pricing is competitive, making it accessible for businesses of all sizes.
Scalable communication platform
  • 3CX offers a scalable communication platform that can grow with your business. Its flexibility and range of features make it suitable for businesses looking to expand their communication capabilities.
Limited ticketing capabilities
  • 3CX's focus is primarily on communication, resulting in limited ticketing capabilities. This may not be suitable for businesses seeking a comprehensive customer service platform.
Focus on communication tools
  • While 3CX offers robust communication features, its focus on call management may not align with businesses seeking a full-fledged customer service solution. This limits its appeal for those needing a broader range of support tools.

Zendesk vs 3CX: At A Glance

Decision FactorZendesk3CX
Value to Price
Good4.2
Good4.0
Ease of Use
Excellent4.3
Good4.2
Functionality
Excellent4.4
Excellent4.3
Scalability
Excellent4.5
Excellent4.4
Integrations
Excellent4.3
Good4.1
Customer Support
Excellent4.4
Good4.2
Security
Excellent4.3
Good4.2
Overall Rating
Excellent4.3
Good4.1

Zendesk vs 3CX: A Detailed Breakdown of Key Features

FeaturesZendesk3CX
Ticketing System
Excellent4.5
Good4.0
Live Chat
Excellent4.4
Good4.1
Knowledge Base
Excellent4.3
Good4.0
Call Routing
Good4.2
Excellent4.5
IVR
Good4.1
Excellent4.4
CRM Integration
Excellent4.3
Good4.2

Ticketing System

Zendesk's ticketing system is a standout feature, offering a streamlined process for managing customer inquiries. It allows support teams to track, prioritize, and resolve tickets efficiently, enhancing customer satisfaction. 3CX, while offering basic ticketing capabilities, focuses more on call management. If your business requires a robust ticketing system, Zendesk is the superior choice.

Live Chat

Live chat is a crucial feature for real-time customer support, and Zendesk excels in this area with its intuitive chat interface and integration capabilities. 3CX also offers live chat, but its primary focus is on voice communication. For businesses prioritizing live chat, Zendesk provides a more comprehensive solution.

Knowledge Base

Zendesk's knowledge base feature allows businesses to create a self-service portal for customers, reducing the need for direct support. This feature is particularly beneficial for businesses looking to empower customers with information. 3CX offers limited knowledge base capabilities, making Zendesk the better choice for businesses seeking a robust self-service solution.

Call Routing

3CX shines in call routing, offering advanced features that ensure calls are directed to the right agents. This is particularly beneficial for businesses with high call volumes. Zendesk offers call routing as well, but its focus is more on ticketing and chat. For businesses prioritizing call management, 3CX is the better option.

IVR

Interactive Voice Response (IVR) is a key feature for managing incoming calls, and 3CX offers a robust IVR system that enhances customer interactions. Zendesk provides basic IVR capabilities, but its strength lies in other areas. If IVR is a priority, 3CX is the preferred choice.

CRM Integration

Both Zendesk and 3CX offer CRM integration, allowing businesses to connect their customer data with their support systems. Zendesk's integration capabilities are more extensive, offering seamless connectivity with popular CRM tools. 3CX also provides CRM integration, but its focus is more on communication. For businesses seeking comprehensive CRM integration, Zendesk is the better option.

Pricing Comparison of Zendesk and 3CX

To assist you in making an informed choice, we’ve outlined the pricing plans and essential features of Zendesk and 3CX. This comparison will highlight the best option for enhancing your customer service operations.

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Zendesk Pricing Plans

Suite Team
For Small Businesses
$55

per month per user

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Suite Team includes:
  • Includes ticketing system with email, chat, voice, and social messaging.
  • Access to AI agents for automated customer support.
  • Prebuilt analytics dashboards for performance insights.
  • 1,000+ apps & integrations for enhanced functionality.
Suite Growth
For Growing Businesses
$89

per month per user

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Includes Suite Team, plus:
  • Multiple ticket forms for diverse customer queries.
  • Light Agents for extended team collaboration.
  • Service level agreements (SLA) for quality assurance.
  • Multilingual support and content for global reach.
Suite Professional
For Large Enterprises
$115

per month per user

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Includes Suite Growth, plus:
  • Skills-based ticket routing for efficient issue resolution.
  • Custom and live analytics for data-driven decisions.
  • Integrated community forums for customer engagement.
  • HIPAA enabled for enhanced data security.
Suite Enterprise
For Enterprises
Contact sales
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Includes Suite Professional, plus:
  • Custom roles and permissions for tailored access control.
  • Dynamic, contextual workspaces for efficient task management.
  • Advanced AI add-on eligibility for superior automation.
  • Sandbox environment for testing and development.
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3CX Pricing Plans

3CX SMB
For Small Businesses
€0

forever

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3CX SMB includes:
  • Supports live chat, SMS, and MMS communication.
  • Includes video conferencing capabilities.
  • Offers mobile and desktop applications.
  • Provides call queues and ring group features.
3CX PRO
For Medium Enterprises
€295

per year

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Includes 3CX SMB, plus:
  • Features call recording for quality assurance.
  • Integrates seamlessly with CRM systems.
  • Supports hot desking for flexible workspaces.
  • Microsoft 365 integration for enhanced productivity.
3CX ENT
For Large Enterprises
€370

per year

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Includes 3CX PRO, plus:
  • MS Teams integration for collaboration.
  • Skill-based routing for efficient call handling.
  • AI call transcription for detailed records.
  • Inbuilt failover for system reliability.

Our Rating Methodology

We thoroughly evaluate each call center software, focusing on key aspects like functionality, scalability, and customer support. By analyzing user reviews and conducting in-depth testing, we ensure our recommendations align with your needs. Each of the seven evaluation factors is weighted by importance to deliver a reliable final rating, helping you make informed decisions.

Decision FactorScoring Weight
Value to Price
20%
20%
Ease of Use
20%
15%
Functionality
20%
25%
Scalability
20%
15%
Integrations
20%
10%
Customer Support
20%
10%
Security
20%
5%

Zendesk or 3CX: Which One Matches Your Business Needs?

Choose Zendesk If You Need ...

  • Comprehensive customer service platform

    If you are a business looking for a comprehensive customer service platform with robust ticketing and integration capabilities, Zendesk is the ideal choice. Its extensive feature set and excellent customer support make it a top choice for enhancing support operations.

  • Wide range of integrations

    If your business requires seamless connectivity with popular business tools, Zendesk's wide range of integrations makes it the better option. Its integration capabilities enhance functionality and streamline operations.

Choose 3CX If You Need ...

  • Robust call routing features

    If your business prioritizes call management and routing, 3CX's robust call routing features make it the preferred choice. Its advanced capabilities ensure efficient handling of high call volumes.

  • Cost-effective communication platform

    If you are looking for a cost-effective solution to enhance your communication infrastructure, 3CX offers competitive pricing and scalable features. Its focus on communication makes it an ideal choice for businesses seeking to improve call center operations.

Frequently Asked Questions

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Author

Martin Lunendonk

Martin Lunendonk is a senior tech writer specializing in website builders, web hosting, and ecommerce platforms. With a background in finance, accounting, and philosophy, he has founded multiple tech startups and worked in medium to large tech companies and investment banking, bringing deep expertise and reliable insights to his software reviews.